Beeper-seeker rocket

The beeper-seeker rocket system, developed by the DeBruin Company in the mid 1930s, is a complicated but effective air combat system.

The system actually uses two types of rocket - the beeper rocket and the seeker rocket.

Beeper rocket
The beeper rocket is a small, light and extremely fast air-launched munition that consists of a barbed head, a powerful transmitter and a large engine. On impact, the barbed head allows the rocket to affix itself firmly to its target, and the high-frequency transmitter activates.

Seeker rocket
The seeker rocket is similar to a HE rocket, but equipped with a radio reciever and direction-finding loop. The seeker rocket will home in on any active beepers transmitting on a predetermined frequency. A seeker rocket has a considerably larger warhead than a HE rocket, and is significantly more dangerous.

Tactics
The beeper-seeker rocket system is most commonly deployed by highly-disciplined militia groups. Because it requires two kinds of missiles, one of which must be launched before the other, the beeper-seeker system is not suitable for small or disorganised groups.

Because the seeker rocket will home in on a specific frequency, a common tactic is to have one aircraft carry beeper rockets to identify and tag targets, and to have the other aircraft in the group carry seekers, all set to the same freqency. This means that aircraft can fire seeker rockets at the same target from different vectors, massively increasing the chances of at least one rocket hitting the target.

Due to the expense of the system, it is unusual for the beeper-seeker system to be used against enemy fighters. The system is typically deployed against enemy bombers or zeppelins and to identify specific targets, especially ground targets. In theory, beeper heads could be placed by ground units ahead of a co-ordinated airstrike, but this has never been tested in the field.

The beeper rocket's high-frequency signal can be heard by animals such as dogs. Some pilots, most notably squadrons of the Texas Air Rangers, have started carrying pet dogs as early-warning systems.

Behind the scenes
The beeper-seeker system only appears in Crimson Skies. By the time of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, the system has been replaced by the much-simpler magnetic missile.

Three beeper or seeker rockets can be carried per hardpoint.